An Unexpected Hunger (17 page)

Ricky raised his eyebrows. “Trust me…it took all I had not to give that guy a black eye.”

“The why didn’t you?” I joked.

“I want you to be happy. After everything you’ve been through with your dad and that asshole in California. You mean too much to me.”

“What did he say to you at the bar?”

“It’s not important.”

“I want to know.”

“He said…he said it’s too bad I screwed up and got the wrong girl pregnant.”

“Wow,” I scoffed. “You were right…what a douche bag.”

“It doesn’t matter,” Ricky said. “
I’m just glad you’re able to do what you love again.”

We sat and looked at each other for a few se
conds, the verve between us pulsing. I missed him, and I was tired of trying to convince myself otherwise. I fed off Ricky’s energy that was so easily reflected in his eyes; his anger, his frustration, his jealousy.

“So what now?” I asked.

“I don’t know. I’m going to have to find someone to replace Joe.”

“That’s not what I’m talking about.” I walked closer to him until our faces were only inches apart. I smelled like the kitchen of the bar
, but I didn’t care, and I knew he didn’t either. “So what now?” I murmured.

Ricky looked at me from under his eyes. I closed mine, hoping that he would make the next move. A split second later, I felt his lips on mine. Soft and sweet, barely any pressure at all. He pulled away too quickly.

“Alexa…I can’t.”

“Why? You know what you’re saying is bullshit. People make
mistakes. You said so yourself.”

“I’m no good for you.”

I hooked my arms around his neck. “I know,” I teased. “But I’m good for
you.
”

He smiled and kissed me again, this time like he meant it. He scooped me up in his arms and carried me upstairs.

“You need a shower,” he cried, plopping me in the bathroom. “Did I mention how sexy you look in these clothes?” He ran his fingers down my jacket, unbuttoning with skilled speed.

“You’re pretty good at that,” I chuck
led. “Undress many cooks in your time?”

“Just Cesar once…A LONG time ago. He doesn’t like to talk about it.”

I laughed even harder, and before I knew it Ricky had me undressed and pulling me into the hot shower with him. He washed my hair, and I washed his, and he took his time scrubbing me down with a loofa and body wash. I smiled, thinking about having the scent of Ricky lingering on my skin.

After all the cleaning was out of the way, Ricky’s lips made their way from my mouth all the way down to my chest.

“I couldn’t stand the thought of you being with that guy,” he said to me in between kisses. “Don’t ever break your promise to me again.”

I could tell he was holding back his anger about Ethan.
I nodded, too immersed in the feeling of being kissed all over. At that point, I probably would have agreed to just about anything.

I
pressed my hands and face against the wall of the shower, the tile heated by the steam. Ricky grabbed each side of my thighs, burrowing his face into the back of my neck. The moment I felt our bodies connect, I closed my eyes, letting the sensation take over. Being in Ricky’s arms made me sure just how uninterested I was in anything Ethan had to offer. Ethan was clean cut, mannerly…predictable.

I didn’t want clean cut. I didn’t want predictable. I wanted raw, angry, and plain old fucked up. Ricky held me tight until I felt him release
, his body going slack as we each took a breath to calm our heaving bodies.

We soaked under the faucet u
ntil the hot water ran out. When I hit the bed in Ricky’s tee shirt and boxers I felt as happy as I had in a long time. It was then I noticed the large hole punched through the drywall of his bedroom wall. That explained his battered fist from before.

“I want to wrap my arms around you all
night,” he said, getting into the bed.

I nuzzled into his neck
, and he kissed my forehead. He turned off the lamp and leaned into me, sweeping one arm over my body.

“Lexy?”

“Yes?”

“Thank you.”

“For what?” I said, barely awake.

“For taking a chance on me.”

MY EYES PEERED
open when the smell hit my nose.

Coffee.

I peeled the sheets off, and tied my bed hair back. Walking down the steps, I heard the sizzle of something on the stove, the screech of a pan, and then Ricky cursing under his breath.

“Morning,” I said, sliding into a kitchen chair.

Ricky turned to face me; a frying pan in one hand and a spatula in the other.

“Good morning,” he smiled. “I’m cooking breakfast!”

“I see that. It looks like a pancake factory blew up in here.”

There was dry pancake mix covering every square inch of the counter. A half full carton of eggs laid open next to the stove
, and I smelled bacon burning in the pan Ricky was holding.

“Hungry?” he asked. He poured me a cup of coffee and fixed it with some milk.

“Very.”

“Good…because I’m pretty sure most of this stuff will be edible when I’m done cooking it.”

I laughed. “Would you like some help?”

“No,” he smirked. “Think you’re the only one who knows their way around the kitchen?”
He flipped a pancake in the air, and it landed with a splat on the floor.

I busted out laughing, getting up to help him clean it.

“I got it. Just sit and relax,” he insisted.

I did as I was told,
and watched Ricky cook the rest of breakfast in his underwear.

W
hen it was all said and done, he managed to salvage three pancakes, one egg, and five pieces of bacon from the burnt pile of food.

“This is exceptional,” I said, putting another forkful in my mouth. “I can’t remember the
last time I had bacon so…crunchy before.” I tried to say it with a serious face, but couldn’t help chuckling. “Thank you. No one’s cooked for me in a long time.”

“How long?” he asked.

I shifted my eyes around the room. “Months.”

A few days before his wife found out what we were doing, Danny had come to my apartment late after closing the restaurant.
He was hungry, as usual, and raided my fridge to make one of his famous concoctions made from random ingredients. That was his best one yet: Panini made with leftover lamb and scrambled eggs and arugula.

Ricky got up to collect the plates. “I bet it wasn’t as good as this.”

“Not even close,” I said. “And the company is way better too.” I smiled and planted a kiss on his lips.

Ricky dropped the plates in the sink and hoisted me up onto the counter. The granite was cold against my bare skin.

“I want to make you so happy,” he said to me, cradling my face.

I closed my eyes
and felt the warm touch of his lips on my forehead. “You already do.”

* * *

Ricky decided to close the bar for one day to give everyone a chance to get over last night’s fiasco. Plus, I was his temporary back up cook, and he wanted to take me out on a date.

He dropped me off at my house around noon
and promised to be back to pick me up later. He wouldn’t even give me a hint to where we would be going. After a while, I stopped pestering and let him walk around with a goofy grin on his face.

I jiggled my key in the front door, praying that my mo
ther wasn’t home. She had the garage door fixed and loved parking her new car in it. I found it rather annoying since I now had to brace myself every time I walked in the house.

I paused in the foyer, waving to Ricky as he drove away. The house seemed quite
, and I let out a breath of relief that she wasn’t there. I was still wearing my clothes from last night and knew she would notice the second I walked in the door.

I had on
e foot on the first step.

“Who was that?”

I flinched. “Mom…you scared me.”

She was sitting on the sofa, reading a
book; the cat nestled in between her feet.

“Why are you wearing the same clothes as you were last night?” She sat up. “Was that Ethan?” She looked out the window. “Did you two go out last night?”

“Mom! Stop with the questions.
I’m tired, and I need a shower.”

“I hope you don’t screw this one up Alexa,” she said, focusing her eyes back on her book. “Lord knows ever since your father died you’ve been involving yourself with one delinquent after another.”

I leaned my head against the side of the banister. “Yes, mother.”

“Ethan is a good boy. I can tell. He’s the kind that will take care of you. Isn’t it time you moved on from all those immature boys?
You need a real relationship.”

“Yes, mother.”

“Good,” she said, smiling. “I’m glad you’re finally listening.”

I trotted up the steps and closed the door,
my mother’s word still ringing in my ear. I thought back when I had first moved to California. I was only eighteen and thought I had it all figured out. My first month there, I barely called home, convincing myself that I was on my own. I didn’t need to hear my mom’s voice, as annoying as she was, and my dad was dead so that took care of itself. By the end of the third month, I was so homesick I was calling my mom almost everyday. I would tell her everything from what I was learning at school to the guy I was going out with later in the week. She never held back from saying how she really felt. It wasn’t long before I learned what to share and what to keep to myself.

* * *

Fifteen minutes until six o’clock and Ricky was already here. I scrambled to find my other high heel before my mom got to the door, but I wasn’t fast enough. I scurried down the steps, holding both of my shoes.

“Thanks mom,” I said, slipping a shoe in each foot. Ricky stood frozen, a bouquet of flowers in his hand. He handed them to me
, and my nose caught their beautiful scent.

“So where are you two headed off to tonight?” she asked. Her
tone was more serious, so unlike the high-pitched voice she used with Ethan. Her mouth was upturned in a frown as her eyes jumped from the tattoos on Ricky’s arms.

“It’s a surprise,” Ricky said, smiling at me.

“We better get going,” I urged.

“Alexa, honey. Before you go…can you just help me with something?” She nodded her head towards the kitchen.

“I’ll be right out,” I told Ricky, winking. He nodded and headed towards the car.

Once we got to the kitchen, I closed my eyes and crossed my arms, waiting for her to unleash.

“I don’t think Ethan would be to happy if he knew that you were going on a date with that boy,” she said. Her face was so serious that it almost made me laugh.

“Mother…you’re joking right?” I paused, waiting for her to respond. “Ethan and I went out
once.
We are
not
a couple. We aren’t even dating.”

“But…that boy’s been to JAIL!” She whispered the word like the room was full of people. “Not to mention he’s covered in tattoos!”

“I gotta’ go. I love you.
You’re crazy.
But I love you.”

I kissed her on the cheek and walked
away.

“Alexa,” she said.

I stopped and turned.

“You look beautiful.”

I smiled and walked out of the door still managing to feel excited about my date.

* * *

“So, how long do I have to keep this thing on?” I asked. I grazed my fingers over the apron Ricky used as a blindfold, covering my eyes.

“Until I say you can take it off.”

I turned my head in the direction of his voice. “You’re real helpful.”

“Don’t whine,” he said.

I could smell the cigarette smoke in the car. Ricky reached for my hand and laced it around his.

“You look beautiful tonight,” he said, pecking each one of my fingers. “That dress is even prettier than the last one you wore.”

Ironically, it’s one my mom picked out on our shopping trip. I was surprised at how much I liked it when she insisted I try it on.

“You said the last dress barely had any material. I think this one is just as bad.”

“I don’t mind,” Ricky teased.

“You did before.”

“That’s because you didn’t wear it with
me
. How am I supposed to protect you from wandering eyes if you wear it when I’m not around?”

“I see,” I chuckled.

An hour later, I felt the car come to a complete stop and the car door alarm dinging.

“Can I take it off now?”